Congestion fears subside as Europe's ports efficiently handle delayed shipments

Posted on February 16, 2024   |  

North European container hub ports handling the arrival of ships from Asia, rerouted around Africa very well.

Hapag-Lloyd's hub ports in Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Southampton saw a notable increase in yard utilization levels last week due to delayed vessel arrivals.

Severe weather in the North Sea caused additional delays in ship movements, with the river Elbe in Hamburg temporarily closed for large vessels.

Truck disruptions near the Benelux ports and Hamburg affected land operations, caused by farmers blocking access roads with tractors.

Hapag-Lloyd reported that empty-container stacks at North European hubs have utilization levels of around 60% to 65%, alleviating concerns about equipment shortages for export bookings.

The outlook for Hapag-Lloyd's hubs is positive, with expected reductions in yard utilization levels as the pre-Chinese New Year export surge declines.

North American container ports are experiencing congestion at US East and Gulf Coast ports due to schedule disruptions and increased import throughput on the US West Coast driven by strong consumer demand.